GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Filtered By: Topstories
News
Trader Antonio Tiu cries blackmail, says govt after him
(Updated 2:47 p.m.) Businessman Antonio Tiu on Wednesday cried blackmail, claiming that he has received threats that government agencies would run after his interests if he did not cooperate in the Senate inquiry into the allegations of corruption against Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Tiu, who's accused of fronting for Binay as the owner of a prime property in Rosario, Batangas, has repeatedly denied during the Senate hearings that he was a dummy of the Vice President to the consternation of senators investigating the official's alleged corruption and hidden wealth.
“While abroad, I received several text messages warning me to cooperate if I wanted a green pass. Otherwise, various government agencies would start running after me,” Tiu said in a press conference in Quezon City.
“To my mind, these text messages constitute real threat and blackmail,” he added.
Asked who he thought could be behind the threats, Tiu said he was “just a businessman” and had no capacity to investigate the dealings of the government.
“Hindi ko po masagot sa inyo dahil ako po ay isang simpleng mamamayan, simpleng negosyante. Wala sa kakayahan kong malaman kung ano, sino ang nasa likod nito,” he said.
“Hindi ko po masagot sa inyo dahil ako po ay isang simpleng mamamayan, simpleng negosyante. Wala sa kakayahan kong malaman kung ano, sino ang nasa likod nito,” he said.
He, however, said that he has now hired additional security personnel for his family who is based abroad.
“Basta ang maliwanag ay mayroong threat. Mas nagiging exposed tayo sa karagdagang security risks,” Tiu said.
‘Full arsenal of the government’
‘Threat must come from Binay’s camp’
‘Not a dummy’
‘Full arsenal of the government’
Tiu said the investigation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building II and Binay's pieces of property has became more of a trial by publicity.
He said Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Antonio Trillanes and Alan Peter Cayetano were no longer listening to his explanations that were apparently contrary to their conlusions.
He said Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Antonio Trillanes and Alan Peter Cayetano were no longer listening to his explanations that were apparently contrary to their conlusions.
“The Senate Blue-Ribbon sub-committee of three is complainant, prosecutor and judge... Instead of focusing on the alleged overpricing of Makati City Hall Building II, I found myself being grilled by senators on issues that have nothing to do with the supposed subject matter,” Tiu said.
“At dahil sa walang makuhang ebidensya laban sa akin, the senators have unleashed against my companies the full arsenal of the government – BIR, AMLC, DENR, DAR, NBI and SEC,” he added.
During the Senate hearing last Thursday, Trillanes had instructed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to review whether the companies owned by Tiu had been filing proper taxes.
Cayetano said last week that the subcommittee was already working with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the BIR, Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for paper trail on the transactions of Tiu's company to investigate the possibility that he was laundering money for Binay.
Also in last week's hearing, the sub-committee found out that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has not issued a clearance for conversion of the property in Rosario, Batangas, 145 hectares of which were bought by Tiu's Sunchamp Real Estate Development Corp. from a certain Laureano Gregorio Jr.
Republic Act No. 6657 requires an individual or a company to secure a DAR clearance for conversion [into other purposes] if a land is covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
The three senators also scored Tiu for just presenting an unnotarized one-page memorandum of agreement between him and Gregorio for the supposed purchase of the 145-hectare property.
Agreement between Antonio Tiu and Laureano Gregorio.
‘Threat must come from Binay’s camp’
Asked for his comment on Tiu's claims, Trillanes on Wednesday said the threats received by Tiu were probably coming from Binay's camp and not from the Vice President's critics.
“Hindi galing sa amin kung me security threats siya. Tignan niya yung mga kasabwat niya. 'Yun ang mag-ge-gain kung mawawala siya. Hindi ko siya kailangang saktan,” he said in a press conference.
He also urged the businessman to seek protection from the police.
“Pumunta siya sa pulis. Humingi siya ng protection. Malamang nanggaling 'yung threat sa kampo ni Vice President Binay,” Trillanes said.
The senators said if Tiu really wanted to be protected, he should just tell the truth and stop covering up for Binay.
“Magsabi siya ng totoo. Come out clean and he will be protected,” he said.
Trillanes added the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee has already established that Tiu was a dummy of Binay.
“Nag-submit siya ng one-page document. Sino ang maniniwala dun? He made a fool out of himself by lying through his teeth. Nahihirapan siyang sumagot sa mga katanungan. He tried to put up a brave front but people can see through his lies,” he said.
Trillanes also said the problems Tiu is now facing in connection with his businesses are his own doing.
“Kung lumalabas 'yung mga problema niya sa DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform), BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue), SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), at PSE (Philippine Stocks Exchange), hindi ko kagagawan 'yan. Im not that powerful,” the senator said.
‘Not a dummy’
During the press conference, Tiu said the transfer of title of the property to Sunchamp is still ongoing, but they will submit additional documents to the Senate to prove that his company now owns the lot.
“May ni-request ang Senate na dagdag dokumento at isa-submit natin within the day. Wala naman tayong tinatag...Lahat ng dokumento na nagpapatunay ng transaksyon natin ihahatid natin sa Senado. Lahat naman ng transaksyon natin ay naaayon sa batas,” Tiu said.
Tiu said he is also confident that his companies can surpass any scrutiny by government agencies, especially by AMLC.
“Wala din po akong issue if papa-imbestigahan ako sa Anti-Money Laundering (Council) dahil wala ni isang transaction na dumaan sa company namin na 'di naayon sa tama,” he said.
“I am standing by the truth that I am a buyer of the Rosario property in good faith. It is a sound business decision. The paper for the transfer of the title to Sunchamp is still ongoing. And I know Sunchamp. Its investors and partner-farmers will benefit from this agri-tourism project,” he said.
Tiu stresed that he was not a dummy of Binay.
“I am not a dummy. I am not a money-launderer. I am not guilty of any crime. I am a legitimate businessman. I have built my companies through years of hard work,” he said.
Tiu is the owner of Sunchamp Real Estate Development Corp., which supposedly has real and enforceable rights over the 145-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas being linked to Binay.
Tiu, in previous hearings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Sub-committee, claimed that he bought the property from a certain Laureano Gregorio. Some senators, however, suspect that Tiu and his company are just acting as dummy for Binay after former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado testified that it is the Binay family who really owns the Batangas property. —With a report from Amita Legaspi/KG/NB, GMA News
